In this Jan. 2, 2020 file photo, vaping devices are displayed in a store in New York City. In this Jan. 2, 2020 file photo, vaping devices are displayed in a store in New York City. (AP Photo) Health Promotion Department Director Lin Meng-hui (林夢蕙) supports the council`s decision, but said the city has not set a timeline for implementing the ban. At the national level, Taiwan`s Ministry of Health and Welfare has also proposed a draft amendment to the Tobacco Risk Prevention Act to raise the legal age limit for tobacco from 18 to 20 years. The amendment would also introduce such restrictions for non-combustible tobacco products such as vaping products. Smoking is legal for adults, so the government should not ban the use of e-cigarettes to deter teens from smoking, he said. $19 million In April, the New Taipei City Council passed a measure making the city the first of Taiwan`s six special municipalities to ban the sale of vaping products. The legal situation in Taiwan is confusing and e-cigarettes currently exist thanks to a legal vacuum. Officially, retailers require a licence under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act to sell e-cigarettes, and none have been approved. Taiwan has a Tobacco Risk Prevention Act (1997), but it does not appear to be able to regulate e-cigarettes because they do not contain tobacco. In 2017, it was reported that Taiwan`s executive arm, the Yuan Executive, was considering an amendment to the Tobacco Risk Prevention Act that would result in a complete ban on the sale of all vaping products, whether they contain nicotine or not.

The new law would codify the ban and result in severe penalties for violations. The penalty for manufacturing or importing e-cigarettes would range from NT$50,000 to NT$250,000 (US$1650-8250). The sale and use of e-cigarette products in smoke-free areas would be punishable by a fine of NT$10,000 to NT$50,000 (US$330-1650). Taiwan`s executive branch has proposed a sweeping ban on vaping, including the sale, manufacture, importation and even use of e-cigarettes. The cabinet (or executive yuan) will send its amendment to the National Tobacco Risk Prevention Law to the legislature for debate. The municipal ordinance, which originally covered only vaping devices, was extended to heated tobacco products at the suggestion of Taipei City Council Wang Hong-wei (王鴻薇) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). The city`s health ministry has suggested that companies selling steam and heated tobacco products have misled the public by claiming that such alternatives help people quit smoking. However, up to 80 percent of e-liquid refills contain nicotine during annual sample inspections conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, indicating the risk of addiction, the department said. In addition, vaping and the use of heated tobacco products must be prohibited within a 50-metre zone around schools.

A dozen companies were grouped together for showcasing or selling new tobacco products, including a store selling HTP in a business district, and six vaping products were sold on e-commerce platforms Shopee and Rod. The perpetrators were fined NT$10,000 and ordered to comply with the ban, according to the Taipei City Ministry of Health (DOH). Taiwan`s existing vaping laws are confusing, and some people argue that vaping is already banned. The customs administration issued a press release in 2019 stating that the importation of e-cigarettes – even for personal use – is not allowed. And nicotine-containing products are allowed to be sold illegally in Taiwan without permission from the country`s pharmaceutical authority. The amendment was proposed by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs and aims to raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 20 years. The bill also expands the list of places where smoking is prohibited. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of “higher levels of toxins in HTP aerosols than in conventional cigarette smoke,” while a study published in March by the Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis indicated that at least 164 of the 1,064 chemicals found in vaping devices available in Australia were toxic. according to the John Tung Foundation. E-cigarettes are illegal, but many teens received them through various channels and smoked regularly, he said. If the executive yuan ratifies the measure, the city will impose a sweeping ban on the sale, advertising, display and commercial transportation of new tobacco products, including vaping devices and heated tobacco units.

This is sad news – will inform the vaping community in Germany, Switzerland and Austria – it will drive away many tourists – myself included. The legislation also sets an age limit that prohibits people under the age of 18 from using e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. All minors caught using the products will be required to attend smoking cessation classes or pay fines ranging from NT$2,000 to NT$10,000, and vaping and the use of heated tobacco products are within a 50-meter zone to ban schools. Companies that break the rules pay similar fines. The new regulations prohibit the importation, sale, manufacture, display or advertising of heated and vaping tobacco products and their components. However, persons in possession of a special official permit are exempt. Violators can face fines ranging from NT$10,000 (US$354) to NT$100,000, and if they fail to remedy their violation within the time limit, they may face a second fine and a suspension order. The city ordinance states that the manufacture, import, sale, delivery, display or advertising of the products is illegal, while their use is prohibited within 50 meters of the school grounds.